Rockets versus Jazz. Bad matchup. Good news? (w/video)

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The match up could not be worse, as the Rockets will likely be reminded from now until they win a playoff game.

This is, in an odd, typical Rockets way, perhaps a good thing.

The Rockets seem to relish being doubted. They were said to be going nowhere when they were 15-17, dismissed when Yao Ming went out and largely ignored now. When they completed the regular season on Wednesday with 55 wins, they spoke of how often they were discounted this season.

“We were counted out multiple times this year and no one even gave us a chance, not even close, of clinching home court,” Shane Battier said. “That’s an amazing accomplishment for a team that’s lost its best player and started off very poorly and called on so many first-year players. It really is an amazing regular-season accomplishment.”

So now they have the match up that suits them worst. The combination of jump shooters Mehmet Okur and Carlos Boozer does not fit Dikembe Mutombo. Mutombo’s strength is defending the paint and the rim. They don’t need to go there, and when they do, it is on a pick-and-roll, which is also not Mutombo’s strength.

The jump-shooting bigs does offer a chance to go with Carl Landry and Luis Scola together, and Scola has played especially well lately. But now you are relying on two frontcourt rookies against the most physical frontcourt in the league.

The Jazz build everything around their point guard, Deron Williams. The Rockets best point guard defender, Rafer Alston, is out. The Jazz foul more than any team in the league. The Rockets are the worst free throw shooting team in the Western Conference playoffs.

Even the Jazz defense, the most hesitant in the league to double team, does not fit well with Tracy McGrady’s recent struggles. Even when McGrady in not shooting well he can create shots for those that are. He made 2 of 11 shots on Wednesday and the Rockets will need something better than that. But even while he was missing, he set up teammates enough for 11 assists.

The Jazz, however, will not leave Rockets open for McGrady to find until he shoots so well that they must.

None of this is insurmountable. The Rockets had Yao Ming when they could not defeat the Jazz last season, but they have more depth, especially in the frontcourt, this season. They are better to long rebounds and loose balls, the shortcoming that proved their Game 7 undoing. They are much better to the offensive boards.

Mostly they are resilient, and have often been defiant.

They will hear that they will not be able to beat the Jazz again this season.

That might be the best thing about the matchup.

“It doesn’t bother me,” Rockets coach Rick Adelman said. “If we were playing San Antonio and they didn’t have Duncan I would be feeling pretty good, too. They’re healthy and they are playing good. They’re very well coached and they’re physical. We have to respond to that.

“Whether people expect us to win or not, I don’t think anybody expected us to win 22 in-a-row and see what happened.”